Tupper village heads into engineering phase for emergency building

February 8, 2013

TUPPER LAKE - The village has decided on a firm to put together plans for an emergency building.

At a special meeting last week, the village awarded the bid to Andrew Abdallah and his company, Architectural and Engineering Design Associates, based in Plattsburgh.

Abdallah and his firm have said they will complete both architectural and engineering plans and civil designs for $149,000, village Mayor Paul Maroun told the Enterprise."They were lower in price, by a substantial amount, for everything," Maroun said. "We told them we want this on fast track."

After signing on with Sean Foran and his firm, Hueber Breuer, as project manager to get the building to a referendum, the next step is to get engineered designs drawn up for the building. Foran worked with local officials to complete a feasibility study to look at the options for a new fire hall.

At this point, the village is assuming the building will include space for the Tupper Lake Volunteer Fire Department and the village police department, Maroun said, while leaving space to add on in case the rescue squad decides to move in, too.

Officials have been trying to coax the rescue squad to join in the project, but that nonprofit organization has yet to give a firm answer. The next rescue squad meeting is Feb. 20, and squad members may make a final decision then.

Maroun said the village hopes to put the building to a vote with village residents in late May or early June. A previous timeline earlier in the spring is too aggressive, Maroun said. He wants to have time to meet with town officials on the project and make sure the public is informed about it, and he wants to make sure that every question and alternative has been closely studied.

"We're trying to do this so that nobody can say that we didn't try to get the best bang for our buck," Maroun said. "I really think that we're doing it in a real judicious manner. ... We need everybody involved in this."

Three other firms submitted bids to draw up plans for the building: AES Northeast, which submitted a bid to do the work for $225,216; Pacheco Ross Architects, with a bid for $241,720; and Bivens and Associates, which bid $211,500. Maroun said Foran went back to each of the firms and got them to reduce the prices they were asking, but Abdallah's firm still came in the lowest.